Method for emplacing filament-shaped materials into thermoplastic materials and products produced thereby

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and techniques for inlaying or emplacing filamentshaped materials such as wires or the like into a thermoplastic base material wherein the thermoplastic base material is heated to locally and temporarily soften the same following which the filament-shaped material is impressed thereinto. The apparatus includes a distributor having guide means thereon which receives the filament-shaped material from a source of the same, the lower portion of the guide means defining a sliding foot which is heated to soften the base material immediately before impressing the same with the filament-shaped material. The distributor is positioned at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the base material, the inclination of which may be adjusted to maintain the sliding foot portion in alignment with an axis of rotation about which the distributor may be turned 180 degrees for reverse movement of the apparatus. The base material is supported in a manner whereby it may be offset step-wise on reversal of the distributor. Sensing means are provided to automatically raise and lower the sliding foot portion of the distributor in response to changes in the level of the upper surface of the base portion. The distributor may be lifted and latched in a position spaced from the base material during temporary interruptions in emplacing the filament-shaped material into the base material.

United States Patent [1 1 Bethge Oct. 30, 1973 METHOD FOR EMPLACHNGFILAMENT-SHAPED MATERIALS INTO THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS AND PRODUCTSPRODUCED THEREBY [76] Inventor: Walther B ethge, CH 4053BruderholzstrffBasel, Switzerland [22] Filed: Feb. 24, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 118,226

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 730,236, May 20,1968, Pat. No,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 20, 1967 Germany P 92 63039.2

[52] US. Cl 156/166, 156/176, 156/272 51 Int. Cl. 1332b [58] Field ofSearch 156/72, 285,166, 156/435, 497, 176, 177, 178, 167, 272

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,278,363 10/1966 Couquet156/72 3,580,761 5/1971 Boultinghouse 156/72 Primary Examiner-William JVan Balen Attorney-Jacobi and Davidson [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus andtechniques for inlaying or emplacing filament-shaped materials such aswires or the like into a thermoplastic base material wherein thethermoplastic base material is heated to locally and temporarily softenthe same following which the filamentshaped materialis impressedthereinto. The apparatus includes a distributor having guide meansthereon which receives the filament-shaped material from a source of thesame, the lower portion of the guide means defining a sliding foot whichis heated to soften the base material immediately before impressing thesame with the filament-shaped material. The distributor is positioned atan angle with respect to the upper surface of the base material, theinclination of which may be adjusted to maintain the sliding footportion in alignment with an axis of rotation about which thedistributor may be turned 180 degrees for reverse movement of theapparatus. The base material is supported in a manner whereby it may beoffset step-wise on re versal of the distributor. Sensing means areprovided to automatically raise and lower the sliding foot portion ofthe distributor in response to changes in the level of the upper surfaceof the base portion. The distributor may be lifted and latched in aposition spaced from the base material during temporary interruptions inemplacing the filament-shaped material into the base material.

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1 METHOD FOR EMPLACING FILAMENT-SHAPED MATERIALS INTO THERMOPLASTICMATERIALS AND PRODUCTS PRODUCED THEREBY This application is a divisionalof applicants copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 730,236, filed May20, 1968 and entitled APPARATUS FOR EMPLAC- ING FILAMENT-Sl-IAPEDMATERIALS INTO THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS, METHOD FOR USING SAID APPARATUSAND PRODUCTS PRO- DUCED THEREBY, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,777.

This invention is directed to apparatus for emplacing filament-shapedmaterial into thermoplastic base materials, methods for using theapparatus and products produced thereby and is related more particularlyto the production of a product having inlaid filamentshaped materialsuch as a wire by locally and temporarily softening the thermoplasticbase material immediately in advance of impressing the same with thefilament-shaped material.

Various applications, particularly those involved in the production ofheat-generating, current-conducting or signal-conducting products,require that filamentary or strip materials of any desired shape, suchas, for example, wires, strands, or strips, be emplaced or inlaid into acarrier base material in a plurality of side-by-side paths. Theproduction of such articles may be carried out in a number of differentways, although there are not techniques or devices currently availablewhich are capable of substantially completely automatic and uniformoperation in a simple and inexpensive manner.

Thus, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide methodsand means for producing articles of the type described but which permitthe implacement or inlaying of filament-shaped materials into a basematerial in a particularly efficient and high-speed manner. Moreover,the instant inventive concepts provide for the production of articleshaving inlaid filament-shaped materials in a manner which may besubstantially completely automated, while having great versatility tofabricate products having substantially different arrangements of theinlaid material depending upon the particular application for which suchproducts are to be used. Thus, the instant invention provides anapparatus, and a method of using the same, wherein a filament-shapedmaterial can be emplaced in a thermoplastic base material in a pluralityof generally parallel straight paths, with the filament-shaped material,if desired, being laterally offset in each path to provide a wavyarrangement and, also, with the waves in each path being longitudinallyoffset with respect to each other, if desired.

Yet another object of the instant invention is the provision of a methodand means for emplacing filamentshaped material into a thermoplasticbase material wherein the surface of the base material is continuouslymonitored and the means for emplacing the filamentshaped material isautomatically raised or lowered in response to changes in the level ofthe surface of the base material.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of anapparatus, and techniques for using the same, wherein thefilament-shaped material is carried along a predetermined primarydirection of travel and impressed into a base material therebeneathimmediately after temporarily softening the base material, and theprimary direction of travel is reversed at the end of a forward pass,with the base material being laterally offset before the filament-shapedmaterial is carried in the reverse direction to space juxtaposedportions of the filament-shaped material from each other. In thisregard, the means for distributing the filament-shaped materialaccording to the instant inventive concepts is maintained at an anglewith respect to the levelof the surface of the base material, and meansare provided for adjusting this angle, as desired. Additionally, thisadjusting means may serve to insure that the portion of the distributingmeans which guides the filamentshaped material is aligned with the axisof rotation around which the distributing means is rotated for reversemovement.

In general, it is a basic objective of this invention to provide amethod and means for emplacing or inlaying filament-shaped materialsinto a thermoplastic base material which is simple and efficient inoperation, with the apparatus being sturdy and durable in constructionand highly reliable and efficient in use.

Other and further objects reside in the particular manipulative stepsdefined hereinafter as well as the arrangement of parts and features ofconstruction of the apparatus and the products produced. Still otherobjects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as thedescription of the invention proceeds and as.

shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a rear elevational view, partly in crosssection, andsomewhat enlarged, of a distributor for emplacing filament-shapedmaterials into a thermoplastic base material according to the'instantinventive concepts;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in cross-section, of a somewhat modifieddistributor mounted in a holding means suitable for automatic operation;

FIG. 2a is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially alonglines C-D of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view through thestrand or filament guide means of the distributor of this invention;

' FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the guide means of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view, partly in cross-section, of the emplacementapparatus of this invention;

, FIG. 6 is a top plan view, partly in cross-section, of the emplacementapparatus shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the emplacement apparatus, toa reduced scale, showing the same in use; and

FIG. 7a is afragmentary cross-sectional view of the guide tracks for theemplacement apparatus taken substantiallyalonglines A-B of FIG. 7.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

The invention in general, as will be seen from the accompanyingdrawings, is directed to an apparatus for emplacing or inlaying afilament-shaped material into a carrier base made of a thermoplastic orheatsoftenable plastic material or into a layer of such a thermoplasticmaterial coated on a carrier base. As the distributor slides over thebase material, the surface of the base material is locally andtemporarily softened by means of feeding heat thereto at a levelsufficient to permit continuous emplacement into the softened mass ofthe filamentary or strand-like material which is reeled from a spooldefining a source of the same, the

path of travel of the distributor being prearranged as desired as willbe explained in more detail hereinafter. In this manner, thefilament-shaped material will be bonded directly to the base material inthe predetermined arrangement upon cooling of the locally andsurface-heated thermoplastic material which takes place immediatelyafter inlaying of the filament-shaped material.

Basically, the apparatus of this invention comprises a distributingmeans which contains a minimally-sized heating means, the upper end ofwhich is clamped into a cartridge-shaped holder or mounting support. Aheatconducting shaft or pin protrudes from the bottom of the heatingmeans and a filament guide means is rigidly clamped thereto.

The major portion of the filament guide means possesses a U-shapedprofile below the part which is clamped in heat-receiving relationshipto the heating means. The legs of the U-shaped profile point in theprimary direction of travel of the distributor and the major portion ofthe filament guide means is tapered toward its lower end which defines asuitably shaped sliding foot portion. The U-shaped portion is providedwith an ear having a guide opening defined therethrough which slopesdownwardly into the slot defined between the legs of the U-shapedportion.

A further feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of aspring-clamping means which secures the distributor to a supporttransversely to its longitudinal axis and counter to the placementdirection, in a manner such that the longitudinal axis forms, prefera-'bly, an angle of'about 80 with respect to the uppersurface of the basematerial during the placement operation. The sliding foot portion of thefilament guide means is arranged to lie in the center of a rotationalaxis around which the mounting support may be rotated by 180 to reversethe direction of placement of the filament-shaped material.

Another feature of the instant invention is the provision of regulatingmeans mounted vertically with re-- spect to the upper surface of thebase material, the regulating means being resiliently pressed intoengagement with the upper surface of the base material with thedistributor being operatively secured to the regulating means in amanner to raise and lower the sliding foot portion of the distributor inresponse to changes in the height of the regulating means caused byvariations in the level of the upper surface of the base materialthereby insuring that the sliding foot portion of the distributorretains a constant relationship with respect to the upper surface of thebase material even when the upper surface of the base material isuneven.

Additionally, the apparatus of the instant invention is provided with adrive means which is capable of functioning in a forward and reversedirection to move the distributing means along a guide track withseparate drives being provided at the end of each path of travel forrotating the apparatus 180. Further, an additional drive means isprovided to laterally displace or offset the base material with respectto the primary direction of travel of the distributor between eachforward and reverse run.

When it is desired that the filament-shaped material be emplaced whileit is not in completely stretched condition, the placement apparatus canbe moved. by suitable drive means to, for example, form waves with thefilament-shaped material. This can be effected by means of an auxiliarydrive which is activated by the main distributor drive means to move theplacement apparatus transversely to the main or primary direction oftravel as it moves along a particular run. Additionally, a furtherauxiliary drive means, which also can be activated by the maindistributor drive means, can move the placement apparatus slowly forwardand backward in its directional course thereby achieving a displacementor variation of the pulses of a wave in one run relative to the pulsesof the waves in an adjacent run and/or a variation in the length oramplitude of the waves.

The method of the instant invention provides for the use of an apparatusof the type described to emplace or inlay a strand, filamentary orstrip-shaped material into a base material which may be softened by theapplication of a local and temporary heat.

According to this invention, the operation of the apparatus can beautomatically controlled electrically with respect to its forward andbackward movement,

the displacement of the base material between each forward and backwardrun, and the respective reversal of the distributing means by at the endof each run. Y

The technique for operating the apparatus of this invention provides forfeeding a filament, strand or striplike material which is unreeled froma spool revolving solely by means of the pull on the filament-shapedmateriaL-with the filament-shaped material passing from the spoolthrough the guide opening defined in the guide means angularly anddownwardly into a slot pro- .vided by the guide means as the apparatusis moved along a guide track. The spoolof filament-shaped material ispreferably carried by the apparatus above the guide means. As theapparatus moves along its runs, the filament-shaped material emergesfrom the sliding foot portion of the guiding means and is pressed intothe surface of the base material which has been locally and temporarilysoftened by virtue of heat emanating from the heating member which istransferred'to the sliding foot portion of the guide means.

Finally, the instant inventive concepts are directed to the productswhich are formed utilizing the apparatus according to the 7, methods ofthe'instant invention. These products may be, for example, heating meanssuch as area heaters having inlaid, relatively thin heat 'ing wires orthe like. 'The method is particularly applicable in the production ofheating plateshaving a laminated glass construction wherein the verythin heating wires are superficially laid into the laminated glass foil.Moreover, the method of this invention permits production of so-calledalarm plates in a reliable and economical fashion.

' For a further understanding of the instant inventive concepts,reference is now made to the accompanying drawings.

The distributing means is designated generally by the reference numeral1 and is an essential part of the apparatus for emplacingfilament-shaped materials into a thermoplastically softenable basematerial. The distributor 1 includes a cylindrically-shaped heatingmeans 2 of minimal dimensions, with an unheated upper half 3 rigidlyclamped into a cartridge-shaped holding means For this purpose, thecartridge-shaped mounting of holding means 4 is slit longitudinally onone side and equipped with a screw 5 to securely hold the heating means2 therewithin. Note particularly FIG. 2a.

At the end of the holding means 4 lying opposite heating means 2, apenholder-like handle 6 may be attached in the event that is desiredthat the emplacement operations of the distributor 1 be performedmanually. Note FIG. 1. The current for heating means 2 can be conductedthrough the handle 6.

For purposes of mechanical or automatic emplacement, reference is madeto FIG. 2, wherein the portion of the holding means 4 lying opposite theheating means 2 terminates in a bolt or stud 7 which, for its majorpart, is slit longitudinally into two equal halves and which is boundedby lateral flanks parallel thereto. The bolt 7 is provided with atransverse bore at the height of the flanks which is equipped with athread for the purpose of receiving a tapered propellor shaft 8 (FIG. 6)which has an adjusting means in the form of a screw 9 by means of whichthe distributor 1 can be adjusted laterally in the emplacementapparatus. The tapered end portion of the bolt 7 may contain anadditional transverse threaded bore for receiving a set screw orclamping screw 10 for the purpose of locking the distributor l in placein laterally adjusted position.

The heating means 2 is preferably constructed of ceramic material andthe portion of the heating means 2 which protrudes downwardly from thecartridgeshaped part of the holder 4 is capped by a casing head 11 whichis pierced axially and which is equipped with a cylindrical projection12 for the purpose of receiving the end portion of shaft 13 having highheat conductivity and extending downwardly from heating means 2.

The heating coils 14 of the quickly-reacting heating means 2 are locatedprimarily on the lower half of a thin ceramic tube 15 which in itscavity contains the shaft 13 for axial heat transfer to the filamentguide means in a manner to be described in more detail hereinafter. Forpurposes of increasing radial thermalinsulation, a ceramic covering tube16 is placed on top of the heating coils-14 with a further ceramic tube17 superimposed upon the covering tube 16. Leads or conductors 18 feedcurrent through two lateral openings in the tube 17 to the heating coils14. v

The projection 12 of the casing head 11, which receives the shaft 13, isused for attachment of the filament guide means 19. For this purpose,the upper portion of the filament guide means 19 is axially orlongitudinally bored and has a transverse threaded opening 21 forreceiving a clamping screw 22 to secure .the filament guide means 19 tothe projection 12. A U-shaped profile main portion 23 of the filamentguide means .19 has its leg portions 24 pointing forwardly, that is, inthe main direction of travel which the distributor will take during theemplacement operation, this U-shaped profile portion 23 of the filamentguide means adjoining the upper portion 20, with the main portion 23tapering inwardly and downwardly toward a suitably shaped free orunattached sliding foot portion 25. The U-shaped profile portion of thefilament guide means 19 is equipped with an ear having a guide opening26 therethrough which extends obliquely downwardly into the slot definedbetween the leg portions 24 of the filament guide means 19. As shown inFIG. 2 a small spring 27 is anchored to the clamping screw 22 at oneend, the opposite or free end of the spring 27 extending into the slotdefined by the U-shaped portion of the filament guide means 19 to apoint below the location at which the guide opening 26 communicates withthe aforementioned slot to thereby improve the guiding action providedfor the filament-shaped material as it is being emplaced.

For purposes of emplacement, the distributor 1 must be placed into apull or drag position relative to the surface of the base material insuch a manner as to arrange the longitudinal axis of the distributor land the plane of the upper surface of the base material at an angle ofapproximately This is accomplished by suitably suspending thedistributor 1 in the manner to be described hereinafter. By means of thepropellor shaft 8, the adjusting screw 9 and the clamping or lockingscrew 10, the distributor 1 is mounted between a pair of guide tracks ofa supporting means 28 of the emplacement apparatus in such a manner asto prevent any undesirable lateral movement of the distributor 1. Aprojection 29 (FIG. 6) cooperates with a set screw 30 (FIG. 2a) which iscarried by the clamping means for the cartridge-shaped portion of theholder 4 to permit any desired adjustment of the inclination of thedistributor 1 and centering of the sliding foot portion 25 of thefilament guide means 19 with respect to. the rotational axis aroundwhich the emplacement apparatus with the distributor must be swung byl80 for forward and backward runs of the same. A spring 31 normallyurges the distributor 1 into its directional course by means of whichthe distributor 1 raises or lowers itself more or less depending uponthe depth adjustment of the sliding foot portion 25 of the filamentguide means 19 and the degree of softening of the base material.

Since it is essential that the sliding foot portion 25 of the filamentguide means 19 does not vary its position in relation tothe depositingof the filament on the base material, theemplacement apparatus isequipped with a regulating means 32 which functions to raise or lowerthe supporting means 28 carrying the distributor 1 depending upon thecharacteristics of the base material. For that purpose, the regulatingmeans 32-is provided with a sensing foot 33 which is mounted on thelower end of a sliding element 34 and which is constantly pressed bya'spiral spring 35 into contact with the upper surface of the basematerial. The sliding element 34 is rigidly connected to the supportingmeans 28 whereby the distributor 1 is easily guided for paralleldisplacement by means of a bearing or ball box'36 interposed between thesliding element 34 and a pipe member 37. j

Finally, the emplacement apparatus is provided with a centering base 38which covers the upper part and which, in the event of temporaryinterruption in the laying operation, is provided with a lifting memberin order to be able to raise the entire apparatus. Moreover, theregulating means 32 with supporting means 28 and distributor 1 can belocked in its uppermost position by'means of a snap joint 39 behind anotch 40.

Referring to FIG. 7, the emplacement apparatus is equipped with anelectrically regulatable drive (not shown) for forward and reversemovement along a guide track 41. An additional drive means (not shown)is operatively associated with the apparatus for turning the same by l80at the end of each pass. A further adjustable drive means 42 is providedfor moving base means 43 by a predetermined amount at the same time thatthe emplacement apparatus is swung around between forward and reverseruns of the main distributor drive means.

As mentioned previously, the emplacement apparatus of this invention isnot only capable of laying a filament-shaped material in a stretched ortaut condition, but by means of suitable serially switched drive means(not shown) the apparatus can periodically be moved to a slight extenttransversely of its primary direction of travel in order to accomplishrectangular or wave-like emplacement of the filament-shaped material.Moreover, a further drive means (not shown), which may also derive itspower from the main drive means or from the reversing drive means, maybe employed to achieve, by means of a slight periodic forward andbackward movement of the emplacement apparatus in the primarydirectional course, a displacement of adjacent wavey strands withrespect to each other or a periodic increase or decrease of the lengthof the wave of the filament-shaped material which is laid by the deviceof this invention.

During the operation of the emplacement apparatus hereof, a strand orthe like which unreels from the spool 44 located above the filamentguide means 19 and mounted for rotation solely in response to a pull onthe strand, is fed to the slot defined between the leg portions 24 ofthe U-profiled portion of the filament guide means 19 through the guideopening 26 traversing downwardly in an oblique direction. From there,the filament-shaped material emerges from the suitable shaped slidingfoot portion 25 of the filament guide means 19 as the emplacementapparatus moves along the guide tracks 41, the filament-shaped materialbeing pressed into the surface of the base material 43 which has beenlocally and temporarily softened by virtue of heat emanating from theheating means 2 and transferred to the base material from the terminalend of the sliding foot portion 25. Since the heat requirement not onlydepends upon the type of base material being uti lized, but must also beraised to accommodate increasing emplacement speed, the apparatusprovides a suitable control means (not shown) to correlate thesefunctions thereby preventing excessive softening of the base material43. v

The emplacement apparatus is advantageously operated throughan automaticcontrol preferably electrical in nature, inasmuch as a definite sequencerepeats itself periodically during functioning of the apparatus. The

forward and reverse movement of the emplacement apparatus along theguide tracks 41 takes place by means of an electric motortnot shown)revolving means being installed above the emplacement apparatus. As soonas the apparatus touches an adjustable contact 45 at one end of the run,the main drive means switches itself off, a greatly geared-downreversing motor means (not shown) which is also installed above theemplacement apparatus, switches itself on and swings the apparatusaround through an arc of 180 in a clockwise direction. At the same time,drive means 42 switches on thereby moving the base material 43 a shortdistance laterally of the primary direction of travel of the distributorover the base material. After reaching the predetermined positions, thereversing motor means, as well as the displacement drive means 42,switch themselves off and the main drive means switches itself on forcounterclockwise revolutions, thereby reversing the primary direction oftravel of the distributor over the base material. After reaching theterminal position in the reverse direction, the emplacement apparatusactivates contact 46 which switches off the main driving means andswitches on the reversing drive means for counterclockwise rotationturning the emplacement apparatus by 180 and again setting intooperation base drive means 42 in order to displace the base means 43laterally of the primary direction of travel of the distributor over thebase material. As soon as this phase is ended, the main drive meansagain switches itself on for clockwise revolution and the describedsequence of switching operations repeats itself. In this fashion, theemplacement apparatus can be kept in operation completely automaticallyand it is only necessary to control the heating means 2 and/or adjustthe running speed of the main drive means to the optimum or desiredcondition in order to inlay the filament-shaped material in a continuousmanner into the base material.

As mentioned previously, the emplacement apparatus is equipped with alifting member which enables the sliding foot portion 25 of thedistributor to be raised temporarily to interrupt the emplacementoperation for a short interval. This phase of the operation may also beautomatically provided for by suitable contacts (not shown) for example,lifting the filament-shaped mate rial which is being inlaid over astrip-shaped conductor (not shown).

As will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art, it isfeasible to provide for variations from the previously describedembodiment. For example, a different form of guide track can beemployed. Likewise, the transverse and/or pushing movement imparted tothe apparatus during the emplacement operation can be produced in adifferent manner, for example, electromagnetically in the event that oneis dealing with wavelike emplacement of heater wires, for instance, forheating plates. I

From the foregoing, the use and operation of the device of the instantinvention is believed to be apparent. Once again, the filament-shapedmaterial, particularly, for example, an extremely thin wire, is unreeledfrom the spool 44 located above the filament guide means 19 and mountedfor rotation in response to a pull on the material. The strand offilamentary material is then fed through the guide opening 26 to theslot in the U- shaped portion of the filament guide means passingdownwardly in an oblique direction. From there, the strand emerges fromthe sliding foot portion 25 of the filament guide means 19 as theemplacement apparatus moves along its predetermined path, and is pressedinto the surface of the base material 43 which has been locally andtemporarily softened by virtue of heat from the sliding foot portion 25of the filament guide means 19. The necessary heat requirement forsoftening the plastic base material 43 can be regulated depending uponthe emplacement speed and the thermoplastic characteristics of the basematerial. The operational sequence of the apparatus can take placeautomatically by means of electrical controls in that the sequencerecurs regularly. A contact 45 is activated at the end of the run-in ofthe emplacement apparatus along the guide tracks 41, this contact endingof the run-in by means of switching off the main drive means. At thesame time the reversing motor is switched on for clockwise turning aboutand the displacement drive means for the base material 43 is set intooperation. After termination of the reversal phase and the displacementof the base means by one line, a further contact is activated in orderto switch off the reversing motor and the displacement drive and switchon the main drive means for counterclockwise revolution. After reachingthe terminal position in the reverse run,

contact 46 is activated whereupon the counterclockwise revolutions ofthe main or distributor drive means are ended, the reversing motor isswitched on for counterclockwise rotation of the apparatus by 180 andthe displacement drive for the base means 43 is again set into operationto move the base means by one additional line. After termination of thereversal and displacement, a further contact is activated which switchesoff these drives and again switches on the main drive means for theforward run, thus starting a new and identical sequence. It is of coursepossible to adjust the speed involved in the reversal through thereversing drive means to correlate the same to the duration ofdisplacing the base means 43. It is also possible to lift theemplacement apparatus automatically shortly before or shortly afterreaching the terminal portion in either direction in order to transportit, for example, over subsequent conductors. Various types of productscan be economically and advantageously produced by means of theabove-described apparatus and techniques for operating the same,particularly products wherein very thin strands such as wires, etc., areemplaced within a base material for the production of an area heatingmeans or heating plates.

F rom the foregoing, it is believed that the instant inventive conceptswill be readily understood. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. A method of continuously embedding a filamentshaped material in athermoplastic base material comprising the steps of: withdrawing andcontinuously dispensing said filament-shaped material from a continuoussource of material, guiding said filament-shaped material along apredetermined pattern with respect to said base material dispensed froma continuous source, heating said base immediately in front of saidfilamentshaped material as said material is dispensed to temporarilysoften a localized zone, and pressing said filament-shaped material intosaid base material immediately after the heating of said base materialat said calized zone so as to bond and embed thereto upon cooling saidfilament-shaped material, thereby continuously embedding saidfilament-shaped material in said base material in said pre-determinedpattern and in a manner which substantially conforms said filamentshapedmaterial to a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said basematerial.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said base material is locally heated bycontact with a heated guide element carrying said filament-shapedmaterial, and said method further comprising the step of varying thequantity of heat provided to said heating element in response tovariations in the speed of emplacing said filament-shaped material intosaid base material.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of guiding saidfilament-shaped material along a forward primary direction of travelover said base material while locally heating said base material andpressing said filament-shaped material into said base materialimmediately thereafter, reversing the direction of travel of saidfilament-shaped material when it reaches a terminal position in theforward direction, laterally displacing said base material with respectto said primary direction of travel, guiding said filament-shapedmaterial along a reverse primary direction of travel while locallyheating said base material and pressing said filament-shaped materialinto said base material immediately thereafter reversing the directionof travel of said filament-shaped material when it reaches a terminalposition in the reverse direction, again laterally displacing said basematerial with respect to said primary direction of travel, and repeatingthe foregoing sequence as desired.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the speed of reversing thedirection of travel of said filamentshaped material iscorrelatedwith thespeed of laterally displacing said base material with respect to saidprimary direction of travel.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein said filament-shaped material ismoved away from said base material before it reaches said terminalpositions in said forward and reverse directions.

1. A method of continuously embedding a filament-shaped material in athermoplastic base material comprising the steps of: withdrawing andcontinuously dispensing said filament-shaped material from a continuoussource of material, guiding said filament-shaped material along apredetermined pattern with respect to said base material dispensed froma continuous source, heating said base immediately in front of saidfilament-shaped material as said material is dispensed to temporarilysoften a localized zone, and pressing said filament-shaped material intosaid base material immediately after the heating of said base materialat said localized zone so as to bond and embed thereto upon cooling saidfilament-shaped material, thereby continuously embedding saidfilament-shaped material in said base material in said pre-determinedpattern and in a manner which substantially conforms saidfilament-shaped material to a plane substantially parallel to the planeof said base material.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said basematerial is locally heated by contact with a heated guide elementcarrying said filament-shaped material, and said method furthercomprising the step of varying the quantity of heat provided to saidheating element in response to variations in the speed of emplacing saidfilament-shaped material into said base material.
 3. The method of claim1 further comprising the steps of guiding said filament-shaped materialalong a forward primary direction of travel over said base materialwhile locally heating said base material and pressing saidfilament-shaped material into said base material immediately thereafter,reversing the direction of travel of said filament-shaped material whenit reaches a terminal position in the forward direction, laterallydisplacing said base material with respect to said primary direction oftravel, guiding said filament-shaped material along a reverse primarydirection of travel while locally heating said base material andpressing said filament-shaped material into said base materialimmediately thereafter reversing the direction of travel of saidfilament-shaped material when it reaches a terminal position in thereverse direction, again laterally displacing said base material withrespect to said primary direction of travel, and repeating the foregoingsequence as desired.
 4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the speedof reversing the direction of travel of said filament-shaped material iscorrelated with the speed of laterally displacing said base materialwith respect to said primary direction of travel.
 5. Method according toclaim 3, wherein said filament-shaped material is moved away from saidbase material before it reaches said terminal positions in said forwardand reverse directions.